New Kathmandu HQ achieves ‘New Zealand excellence’ Green Star rating

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15 August 2016

Papa Kainga, Kathmandu’s new Christchurch headquarters, has made the city’s innovation precinct even greener – the new building has just achieved a 5 Green Star Design rating for efficiency and sustainability.

The new 4650 square-metre, three-level office building was officially opened in June. The 5 Green Star Design rating signifies ‘New Zealand excellence’, and follows hot on the heels of the neighbouring InnoV8 building achieving an identical rating in late July.

Papa Kainga’s sustainability features include a high-performance double-glazed façade and automated blinds that track the sun and move accordingly, to maximise daylight while balancing heat levels; and a highly efficient ventilation system that brings in outdoor air at a rate 50% above what’s required by Building Code, to provide a healthier indoor environment for staff.

Green Star is an independent rating system that assesses buildings’ sustainability across a range of criteria, at both Design and Built stage, and is certified by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC). Ratings range from 4 Green Star (best practice) to 6 Green Star (world leadership).

Designed by AQUA Architecture and located at 223-231 Tuam St, the building is being developed by Calder Stewart Development and Studio D4 (who together also developed the InnoV8 building), with the end investor being Tuam Street East Ltd. Papa Kainga will be leased under an exclusive long-term agreement with Kathmandu.

NZGBC chief executive Alex Cutler says in a time when consumers are increasingly looking for evidence of corporate responsibility, Green Star is a way to independently verify a company’s commitment to lightening their environmental footprint.

“We’re delighted to see that Kathmandu’s comprehensive sustainability strategy is extended to the buildings they occupy, both here and in Australia. Using Green Star from the beginning of the project is the most cost-effective way to build in sustainability, as well as energy efficiency, staff comfort and resilience,” says Ms Cutler.

“We’d love to see more market-leading buildings in the innovation precinct, and indeed all across Christchurch. The city deserves it.”

Kathmandu’s General Manager Marketing, Online & International Paul Stern says their new Christchurch HQ is home to around 180 staff, and builds on the company’s strong commitment to sustainability.

“We recognise that how businesses are run has a major impact on the environment, and it was important that we moved into a building with a strong sustainability ethos. The attention to reducing waste in all areas of the building is better for the environment and our running costs, so it’s a win-win situation. We’re excited about our new home.”

Development partner Paul Naylor, co-director of Studio D4, says choosing to get a Green Star rating was an easy decision, given how valuable the independent verification is to both tenants and future purchasers.

“A smart long-term investment is one that’s attractive to tenants, while costing less to run and maintain, and a Green Star building ticks both those boxes. We aimed to set a high standard with the Papa Kainga and InnoV8 buildings, and we’re very pleased with the results.”

Other sustainability features include:

an integrated fit-out design to reduce waste

low-flow water fittings, LED lighting and presence detectors

90% of construction waste diverted from landfill, and storage systems for recycling waste